0301 Laelaps' Calling
'Laeplaps' Calling ' is the first episode of Psycho-Pass 3. Synopsis Akane Tsunemori is no longer an Inspector following an arrest for endangering public safety and there is cryptic talk of a past incident in which Inspectors were killed. Meanwhile, two new inspectors -- Arata Shindo and Kei Mikhail Ignatov -- arrive for for their first day on the job with the Public Safety Bureau. Their first assignment? Look into the crash of a drone transport. Their investigation uncovers a potential murder although this theory is dismissed by Chief Mika Shimotsuki who, though angry with the unauthorized investigative work being performed by Shindo and Ignatov, allows it to continue. Meanwhile, a man who was present at the crash appears to be involved its occurrence, as well as very interested in Arata Shindo being related to someone he knows well for reasons unstated. Shindo's unique mentalist ability as a Class A Mentalist is revealed as an investigative tool along with Ignatov's skill in martial arts. Shion Karanomori returns as an Analyst and Sho Hinakawa as an Enforcer. The episode concludes with Tsunemori stating her new mission of establishing justice in the world, even at the cost of endangering public safety; a far cry from the attitude of the Inspector first encountered in Season One, and it appears that Shindo and Ignatov are part of her plan. Story The episode begins with an aerial shot of 2120 Tokyo that slowly zooms into the Sibyl System's brain chamber, then out to the Nona Tower as Akane Tsunemori's voice explains how the Sibyl System has led to Japan being the only peaceful nation in the world, but at a high price. New faces appear as she wonders what society has lost in the process and what crime still exists, hidden from view. Scene shift to a drone transport in flight with multiple containers and passengers sleeping on board. In the cargo hold, a terrified man crouches as he looks at his phone and cries in apology. The back bay doors open and containers fly out, along with the man. Meanwhile, at the airport, reporters wait to take photos of the arriving transport, watching it crash into the harbor instead. As it does, one of the watchers takes a video selfie saying, "I'm happy." Scene skip to a grainy b&w scene where Arata Shindo, wearing an earpiece, sits in the back of a moving car. He says that it's his first day on the job and that "it's finally beginning." The driver, who Shindo calls "Dad," reveals that Tsunemori is no longer an Inspector following an incident that led to her arrest for endangering the public's safety. Shindo says he will find the truth as the image of a red beast is superimposed over the driver. Scene shift into an image of Inspector Shindo and his partner, Kei Mikhail Ignatov, driving to an assignment. Ignatov drives as Shindo yawns in the back seat with Kei inquiring if he's experiencing symptoms. Shindo reveals he's been unable to sleep and is advised to spend more money on psychological care (i.e. spa treatments for relaxation). Shindo responds that if it were that simple they wouldn't be where they are right now. Ignatov agrees, adding that at least they've taken the "first step" in an unvocalized plan. Scene skip to an image of "Joshu Kasei" and Chief Mika Shimotsuki standing in a wharf holding area with the rescued passengers from the transport. Police drones and harbor guards patrol the area. Kasei tells Shimotsuki that the Drone Admininistration Bureau blames the crash on technical issues which makes Shimosuki question their presence, though she ultimately concedes to the Sibyl System's orders. Shindo and Ignatov arrive and Kasei welcomes them, looking closely at Shindo before her holo dissolves. She leaves Shimotsuki in charge, calling the "Kasei" figure Bureau Chief Hosorogi. Shimotsuki gives the Inspectors PSB jackets and tells them they are to take Enforcers and Dominators with them to assess the rescued passengers who are immigrants. A PSB van arrives with four Enforcers. When the Dominators are revealed, a voice identifies them as Tenma Todoroki, Kazumichi Irie, Mao Kisaragi and Sho Hinakawa. Shindo and Ignatov split into teams and get to work. Ignatov, Tenma and Irie stay with the immigrants with Kei ordering Hue Checks on everyone, to which two immigrants object. Tenma and Irie lurk in the background, unassisting. Kei asks a guard to help, but is refused while Tenma and Irie take it upon themselves to draw their Dominators on one of the immigrants. When a Crime Coefficent of over 100 is depicted, Irie uses Non-Lethal Paralyzer mode to subdue the man. Kei stops all action and points his Dominator at the Enforcers, ordering them to never again act without instruction, something the Enforcers seem surprised to hear. Meanwhile, Shindo takes Hinakawa and Kisaragi into the harbor to board the stranded transport. Shindo investigates the berth of the lost man. He crawls into the space and, after coming into contact with the man's molecules, he lays down and goes into a mental state wherein he channels the person he's investigating, including environment, actions and thoughts. He heads to the cargo bay with Hinakawa and Kisaragi in tow, not understanding, but where the open bay doors reveal a floating box with a man lying on top of it. After the man is confirmed dead and the body is retrieved, Ignatov chastises Shindo for using a Mental Trace on a dead man without himself present to "hold the rope" as a safety measure. Shindo doesn't seem concerned and reveals that he has the dead man's phone. It's totally clean, making them both suspicious. Elsewhere, Kisaragi calls Shindo a weirdo, but Hinakawa brings up his skill. Kisaragi picks up the dead man's wallet and pulls out a business card with the image of a fox on it and the name "Koichi Azusawa." Shindo and Ignatov speak with Mr. Yonehara, a fellow transport passenger and the deceased's boss. Yonehara gets upset about being questioned and drives off in a huff while the Enforcers watch from a distance. Irie says he hopes the Inspectors don't die in an accident like before and is rebuked, as if his words invoke an unpleasant memory best left unmentioned. Scene skip to a young man in an expensive suit moving into a cavernous space. He self-identifies as Shizuka Homura and is welcomed by a well-dressed older gentleman named Haruki Shirogane and a young woman in fancy clothes named Kyoko Saionji. The young man logs into a console as "Congressman" and an online electronic game Shirogane calls Roundrobin begins. Saionji says, "Welcome to Bifrost." A huge mechanism descends from above and a carousel of images turns in their midst, the images being those of the current PSB team. Shirogane hints that the outcome of their gambling game affects real world events. Back at the Nona Tower, Shindo and Ignatov are chastised by Chief Shimotsuki and told to back off since Drone Admininistration is taking over the case. They ask if they can file a report and she agrees. They then visit Shion Karanomori's Analysis lab and ask her to investigate the relevant parties. After they leave, Karanomori reports to Shimotsuki that Shindo and Ignatov are bending her orders, but the Chief allows it, giving Shion pause. In the Enforcers' quarters, a new assignment arises and Shindo and Ignatov take Hinokawa and Kisaragi along. Upon arriving at the suspect's abode, Hei says he will pacify the occupants to prevent Crime Co-efficients from rising. Shindo and Hinokawa leave to find a "persuasive" item. Ignatov and Kusaraji enter the room via the exterior, adjacent balconies. Once inside, Ignatov subdues two men threatening a third using martial arts. When the team reassembles, the men who were being threatening are shown compassion as being immigrants looking for a fresh start. They are provided assistance and warned to stay out of future trouble. Returning to the airport hangar where the recovered transport has been moved, the team views a video of the crash. Shindo notes the angle and timing and goes outside. Standing where the videographer stood at the railing, he realizes this fact and employs a brief Mental Trace, learning that the person not only liked the crash but that the planner of the accident was also present. The following day, the group heads to the home of Adele Fellows, wife of the deceased, Ray Fellows. On the way, Ignatov explains to Kusaraji that Shindo possesses Class A Mentalist skills, (i.e. the ability to cross mental barriers in order to assume the persona of another person). Shindo assures her that he can keep his hue clear when she expresses that concern. The team interviews Adele Fellows in a room filled with flowers. Hinakawa searches the cache of the dead man's laptop but finds it blank. Shindo briefly taps into Fellows' persona and realizes the flowers are holographic. He asks Adele to turn them off, leaving only a single genuine plant, under whose container he finds a storage disk. Back at the Analysis lab, they break the disk's encryption to find secret accounting records. One of the accountants is Takumi Yonehara, the man they interviewed at the airport. He is a Financial Officer of the Hyper Transport Company along with Financial Consultant Tetsuya Sasagawa. In follow up, the team finds Yonehara at a psychological facility and tell him they have evidence of his wrongdoing. The man's reaction convinces them he's not the perpetrator of the accident. Their results are good, but Chief Sumotsuki is furious with their unauthorized investigation. They defend their actions with their hypothesis that Rick Fellows was murdered because he was a potential whistleblower on the two financial officers of Hyper Transport. Sumotsuki finds that unlikely but approves their continued data gathering. Scene skip back to the game hall. Shirogane and Saionji briefly discuss their displeasure with the PSB's involvement in their current manipulation of real world events, deciding to eliminate the team as they see fit. Meanwhile, at a separate location, the man who took the selfie continues to express interest in Shindo and Ignatov, identifying Shindo as Atsushi's son. Shindo and Ignatov return to the airport in the morning. They agree to use a Mental Trace to gain information about the perpetrator. Ignatov "holds the rope" as Shindo enters a trance. There, much to his surprise, he sees that the man who videoed the crash possesses the same traits as his father (as seen by the overlay of the red beast, now understood to be a fox, on the perpetrator's body). The final scene of the episode depicts Tsunemori at a table, typing on a laptop and observing the files of Shindo and Ignatov. Her thoughts reveal that she now believes that justice must be served, even at the cost of public safety – a distinct change in her way of thinking. She is on a new mission and when she finds individuals who share her beliefs, she allows them free rein to pursue justice. Shindo and Ignatov are the Laelaps hounds who, no doubt, will pursue the foxes until they are caught. Quotes "We must pursue justice, even at the cost of a peaceful society. Whenever those who seek the same truth appear, I decide to entrust my mission to them." ~~ Akane Tsunemori Category:Episodes